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Ben Roethlisberger wants to be a role model…do you want your kids looking up to him?

by Patt Morrison

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers, uses his phone as he is up on the podium during Super Bowl XLV Media Day ahead of Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium on February 1, 2011, in Arlington, Texas. The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 at Cowboys Stadium. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

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Personal troubles for NFL players is nothing new—from shooting ones self in the leg with a concealed gun to drug charges and even murder charges, football players have been getting into trouble off the field for quite some time. But “Big” Ben Roethlisberger, the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers as well as winner of one Super Bowl championship and about to compete for another this Sunday, is supposed to be a different kind of football player. A young, championship-caliber quarterback, Roethlisberger is supposed to be one of the leaders of the NFL and is expected to carry himself like it, which is what his off-field indiscretions all the more embarrassing and disappointing. Accused of being the perpetrator in at least two sexual assault cases, Roethlisberger was never charged criminally but was suspended by the NFL at the beginning of this year. During his first Super Bowl week interview Big Ben, looking to turn the corner on his dark past, said, “I want to be a role model. I want people to look up to me.” Even with all of the wins and on-field accolades, do you want your kids looking up to Ben Roethlisberger?

Guest:

Petros Papadakis, host of “The Petros & Money Show” on Fox Sports Radio, heard locally in L.A. on AM 570 KLAC; former tailback & team captain of the USC Trojans football team in 1999 and 2000.

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About Patt Morrison

Patt Morrison is a live two-hour public affairs show. The program is known for its innovative discussions of local politics and culture, and for its presentation of national and world news as it affects Southern California.